Diving snorkel assemblies are used by divers for breathing air above the water without having to bring one's head out of the water. Most state of the art snorkel assemblies include a valve mechanism for allowing the influx of air during inhaling by the diver while preventing the inlet of water. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,042 to Green issued Jan. 14, 1975, discloses a snorkel assembly including an inlet member having a flexible valve member supported therein by a support member. The valve member includes a stem portion and nipple which is inserted through the opening in a support member whereby the peripheral edge of the valve member seals against the rim of the inlet member. When there is no inhaling or exhaling involved, the peripheral surface of the valve member is seated against the rim of the inlet member. The snorkel disclosed in the Green patent is an example of an assembly including an air inlet to be disposed above the water to allow the inlet of air during inhaling by the diver and an air exhaust disposed of below the water for allowing the exhaust of air through a separate outlet. The inlet and outlet each have a valve mechanism. The copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 553,506 to applicant, filed Nov. 21, 1983, discloses an improved fresh air snorkel including an inlet and a separate outlet. The inlet and outlet each include one way valve mechanisms.
In conventional snorkels, when the surfaces of the inlet member and valve member are wet, a seal is formed between the valve member and inlet member by the moisture. The amount of effort to effect inhalation is increased as the fluid seal must be broken. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,439 to Klinger issued Nov. 9, 1976, discloses a check valve for a respirator or a gas mask including a valve support and a nipple or aligning pin which engages a valve disc. The peripheral sealing surface of the valve disc is seated on the support. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,012 to Van Patten, issued July 7, 1970, discloses a similar valve mechanism including a valve disc seated in its neutral position against a valve seat.
In each of the aforementioned valve devices, the surfaces of the inlet member and valve member when wet are sealed together by the moisture. The inhalation effort is increased as the fluid seal must be broken. The increased inhalation effort required to utilize the apparatus have made the apparatus difficult to use and commercially ineffective. The instant invention provides improves improved fluid flow through valve mechanism by alleviating the problem of the moisture seal.